Need Calculation

forcrz6

Member
I currently have an overflow. I hate the noise after 10+ years. I want to take pvc and then drill some holes and use that as the drain to sump. What is the calculation to figure the hole size, and amount of holes to balance the flow to the pump?
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
If your going to take your tank down and drill it, go with a bean animal overflow and a coast to coast surface skimmer. You can find directions on the Internet.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
By the way, we would really need to know your size tank and your head height- the height between your sump bottom and your return plumbing top nozzle to really do much calculation
 

pegasus

Well-Known Member
Like snake asked, what size is your tank, and how far is it to the sump? The amount of water you want to move will determine the size of plumbing.

Unlike snake suggested, I like to keep things simple, compact, so I'd recommend dual overflows (one on each end of the back) and a single return. I suggest using slightly larger bulkhead and tubing than needed. Larger drains will allow water to cling to the walls, which makes it very silent. It also prevents siphoning, which is loud and annoying. Elbows inside and outside the overflow bulkheads take up considerably less space than adding an overflow box (whether inside or outside the tank). From what I've been able to find, bean animal and herbie methods can be tricky to adjust, and they're never completely silent. Just another option...
 

forcrz6

Member
Not going to take it down. It is a 120g, It has a 1.5 inch inlet that is already working as an overflow to a 2 inch drain say 3 feet to the sump, I want to pop the over flow off and use a PVC pipe going to the bottom and drill that out for the drain.
 

pegasus

Well-Known Member
I'm struggling to visualize how your tank is set up, so be patient with me... please. Is there an overflow "box" already mounted in the tank? Does it drain through the back, or bottom of the tank? Also, a picture is worth a thousand words, so a shot of the current overflow could be very useful. Thanks.
 

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
Not going to take it down. It is a 120g, It has a 1.5 inch inlet that is already working as an overflow to a 2 inch drain say 3 feet to the sump, I want to pop the over flow off and use a PVC pipe going to the bottom and drill that out for the drain.
sounds like all you need is that pvc with a durso standpipe.
 

pegasus

Well-Known Member
You have a couple of options to quiet the noise. You can cut the drain pipe above the sump and add a gate valve. You simply adjust the valve just to the point where it stops slurping (siphoning)... OR... you can use a Durso standpipe, which will have to be mounted inside the overflow box. The gate valve is silent, and the Durso can be fairly quiet.
 

lor404

New Member
hi there, im actually newbie here, i had the same issue, tnx for share , well im studying animaton and working on timeshare attorney business, feel free to ask something if you need
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
If you took your tank down you could have easily added a bean animal overflow to the back of the tank.

is the overflow box held in place by the bulkhead like a glass holes overflow or is it siliconed in? If it's just on there with a bulkhead, you could drain your tank down just low enough to take the box off and use an elbow pointed upwards with a Maggie muffler on it.

The siphon that it has right now makes that noise because it is unregulated. If you added a gate valve to your drain pipe, you could dial the gate valve in to make it completely silent. But that would make you have to keep the overflow box.
 

forcrz6

Member
If you took your tank down you could have easily added a bean animal overflow to the back of the tank.

is the overflow box held in place by the bulkhead like a glass holes overflow or is it siliconed in? If it's just on there with a bulkhead, you could drain your tank down just low enough to take the box off and use an elbow pointed upwards with a Maggie muffler on it.

The siphon that it has right now makes that noise because it is unregulated. If you added a gate valve to your drain pipe, you could dial the gate valve in to make it completely silent. But that would make you have to keep the overflow box.
It is not the Suction but the waterfall sound all the time
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Oh, then that's easy. Add filter floss to the inside of it. Polyfill is cheap. It comes in sheets and fluff. Walmart and other craft stores should sell it.
 
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